12.20.2007

To Do (to create) To-Be-Doing

Projects in-progress for 2008

I've been bursting at the seams w/ so much happening lately that I've had to make lists. I tend to run at a high pace, anyway, but there's recently been a higher, high pace of doing. Which means it's soon time for the only cure known to Katrina: not doing. But, this recent flutter is also for a very good reason. (Keep reading.)

So the other night I made a to-do list of creative goals. I tried to neatly divide it into 5 categories by medium: sewn, letterpress, photos, writing, other. But then I also created 3 more: lifestyle, of course, also. And then I started drawing hearts and stars and arrows and dots all over the place and then I had a collage of creative wishes and goals instead of a well-behaved to-do list that could be followed. Oh, heart!

So, I took the (above) photo this morning to try to put all the in-progress projects into one small space so I could see what was already started or 1/2 finished or 1/4 beginning. The creative to-do list for 2008 included brand new projects, new classes, new techniques, and also finishing old projects and current projects in-progress. After taking a quick tour through the bedroom, the kitchen, the living room, the studio (The entire house minus the bathroom and the garden) the photo shows what I came up with for currently in-progress projects. Some of my favorites from the heap:

Letterpress journal covers.

Drawing bird girls, drawing bird girls...

Knitting a big massive something w/ those scraps of fabrics.

Cigar boxes waiting for treasures.

Oh vintage camera, vintage camera, oh.

I'm mostly excited because I see expression! I see heart and head making their way to the studio for a good go at it. I see dreams and dreaming and research and thinking. I see the objects and textures and colors I'm currently working with: yarn, fabric, paper, ink, wood, typewritten notes, old cameras, old bottles, old boxes, old treasures. (Also all good inside parts for writing new poems). I see these in-progress projects right where they belong: in-progress in my in-progress life right here in the center of my little lovely quirky in-progress home that is currently bursting w/ in-progress joy and activity.

But my favorite category from my creative to-do-list of late night thinking was "of course" which came at the end of all the other lists which is probably why it's named "of course" and only had 2 things:

Enjoy wedding planning (Reason for extra flutter!)

Love D & friends & family

(The simple tender parts often come after all the other thinking parts have been witnessed and noted and even exhausted). The "of course" category was second-to-last and followed by the symbol "heart" category. In the midst of all my new news and creative to-dos and upcoming holiday travel, thankfully the 30-year-old thinker/ researcher/ administrator/ recently graduated graduate student is still striving for balance w/ that 15 year-old lover/ dreamer/ artist/ crafter/ writer/ just give me a box of colored pencils and I'll be fine in my room by myself for a few hours/ joyful romantic. The "heart" category just had 3 tender little feathery things:

1 comment:

i can sense and feel your pace and energy after reading this post! it has me wanting to make my own heart-full list too...1.love the way you write2.love that you keep what matters most of all close to you3.love that you are engaged!!!4.love that you are like a kid + adult all rolled up into one.xops-omg, wedding planning!